Camping bed



Dec. 6, 1927 1,651,681

LA FORREST EFAW CAMPING BED Filed Avril z. 1923 33 INVENTOR Tag-f Aa'firresf Ajan/ I a z BY i295 I j ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 6, i927.

U IT

LA ronansr CAMPING BED.

Application filed April 2,

ing beds, or the like. More particularly, I my invent1on relates to a bed which may be folded into a compact form when not in use.

In providing'a camping bed a condition which must be met is that the deviceshould be capable ofbeing folded in as compacta form as possible, so that its portability may be facilitated. To this end the bed should not involve a mattress. The comfort ,ordinarily' supplied by a mattress should be approximated by a proper. stretching and mounting of the flexible support. A. pri mary object of my invention is to provide such a camping bechwhich will not involve the use of a'mattress, but which will never theless approximate the comfort of such equipment, and which may be folded in a suitably compact bundle to facilitate: its. portability.

In providing a-fol the flexible support, such as canvas or .the

like, is important. Such canvas must be held taut and at the sametime suficiently yielding to render the same comfortable. In meeting this requirement respecting the proper stretching of the canvas member, the camping beds of common practiceand design involve a bed rail member extending along the upper edge of the bed from the head to the foot thereof. A; primary object of my invention is to provide-such a'bed without any bed rail extending along said upper edge-of the bed, it being my purpose to provide, such a'bed which will permit of the depression of the canvas. member without:

, coming in contact with any laterally disposed bed rail. A. further primary object -of my invention is to so arrange the parts of said bed rail that 'the weightsupen;

' relatively great weight. In doing tliiswith a portable bed thenumber of separate parts 7 Lbed foot are not intendedto indicateany" m'ust be reduced to a minimum. A primary ding bed which-elimi nates the use of a mattress, the stretching of ducing the necessary tautness in the-flexible eeting the above conditions the 192s. 7 Serial 'No. 629,476.

object of myinvention is to produce a bed of the aforesaid mentioned strength and at the same'time involveas few parts and be of as simple a nature aspossible; 'fMoreover, a primary object of my inven-. tionisto provide such a bed whichwill have parts which. will assistin keeping the meme here together when .dismounted, and further- Brew, on SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

more, 1 purpose providingsuch a.bed which. i

will at the same timebe free lof'separate parts which may become lost. 1 1

' The above'mentioned general :objects-iof 1 my invention together with others inherent 1n the same are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the following drawings,.the same being merely preferred exemplary forms ,of embodiment ofmy* invention throughout which drawings like reference numerals indicate likepartsr Figure l is a view in perspective of the bed embodying my invention; 1 I 1 7 Fig. 2 is .a view in sideelevationwith a side member assembled and, ready to Lbe moved into position for stretching thercanvasmembemy Fig. 3 is a view of the same;

.Fig. 4. is member; V

Fig. .5 is a view perspective ofthe side of the connector of the side member; I f 1 Fig. 6 is a view. in detail of the'joint'of one end of the sidei of 7 aview of one-end of a side,

said side'rail member in operativeposition;-

Fig. 7.1s'av1ew In detail of'said side rail necting means for a brace member of the side rail. 1 =A bed head 10 and a bedfoot ll-that is; supporting members are providedwith collapsible legs l2and 13, respectively; These" legs may be mounted by means of a hinge 1a and releasably held in position by bracel15;

The bed head and thebed foot are connected V by means of a flexible'support 16, whichmaybe preferably secured to the said bed head.-

and bed foot by helical -springs'.17, said j springs engaging arod l8 'disposed transversely in the flexible" support l6. As here;

in employed the terms bed head v anddistinction as respects construction, said terms being adopted merely for purposes of description. 1 V 2 The bed head and the bed foot are maintained in spaced relationv by means of the side rails 19.

The side rail 19 preferably consists of two I I mortised jointprovided as respects one end portion of each of said members. A socket 28,"(see Fig.7), is formed by means of a brass binder 29 intermediate the tapering end portion of the ends forming the said mortised joint. A stirrup 30 is pivotally mounted at 31.- This stirrup is provided with a slot 32,'inwhich .slot pin 33 of the brace member 22 is' operatively disposed. The other end of the-lower member 23 is cut on the bias to make the same rest flatly in the open. stirrup; 3 f. Brace 21 is provided with an end portion 35 similar in construction to end portion 24 of brace 20. The other end of brace 21 is cut on the bias to make the same rest flatly upon the brace 20, with its end abutting against the top part of .the stirrup 30.

The mode of operation of a device embodying my invention is as follows:

The flexible support 16 is placed under 7 tension by positioningthe side rail 19. In

3 member 23 towards brace 21 it is manifest positioning the side rail the brace 20 is first installed. This is done by causing the lower member 23 'tobe extended inapproximate alignment with member 22. Thereupon, the mortised end portion ofmember' 22 is forced into the socket 28, andin' this wise the mor tised ends of the upper member 22 andthe lower member 23 are caused to abut. This is made possibleby the pin '33 sliding in slot 32.. This-aligningof .the upper, and lower memberscauses the stirrup 30 to bear, as respects itsupper portion, upon one side of the. brace 20, thereby forming with said brace a bearing for one end portion of brace 21. The other end portion 35 of said brace 21 is clamped to the bed footll precisely as the end portion 2% of the brace 20. This is the approximatedisposition of the named parts as illustrated in Fig. 2. When the parts are thus assembled, the. lower member 23 may be gripped near its end portion and lifted towards brace 21 and caused to rest in'open stirrup 341. By thus forcing lower that a long lever is'provided for stretching the flexible connector 16. In this wise a truss arrangement is provided as respects the flexible connector 16 and the two braces, as

well as between the brace 21 and lower mem ber 23 and leg 13. This manifestly rovides a bed which is free of any laterally c isposed bed rail.

It has been found that a convenient method of assembling a bed embodying my invention is to turn the same upside down, and thus the lever 23 may be readily pressed downwardly and caused to rest in open stirrup' 3 1. It will be noted that member 22 and brace 21 are put under compression strains, and since brace 21 abuts against the top portion of the stirrup 30, it is manifest that the weight which it sustains operates to force member 23 against member 22, and make tight the joint in the brace 20, so that a firm joint is assured, even after continued use and wear. This joint must necessarily be maintained tight to avoid sagging and untidy appearance In the bedrail, as well as to afford a properly operative device. Contributing to the same'end are the inclined or tapering portions of the joint, since any movement longitudinally thereof merely tends to cause member 22 to bear heavily against the brass binder 29. In providing this side rail it is important that the parts be ke t of a length which in no instance will exceec the length of the bed head or the bed foot, so that the bundle formed, when rolled up for storage or transporting, will not exceed the length of said bed head or bed foot.

Also it is manifest that the more acute the angle formed between brace'21 and member 23,'the betteris the lever provided thereby for stretching the flexible support. The efficiency of this lever is important. Obviously, the flexible support must be rendered taut and to stretch the large number of stiff helical springs requires considerable force. By providing the eflicient lever as herein described the bed may be assembled without great effort.

When the bed above described is to. be

folded for transportation, manifestly it is only necessary to unclanip the wing nuts on the bolts 27 on the bed head and bed foot,' and disengage lower member 23 from the open stirrup 3 1. Thereupon, lower member 23 is folded back upon upper member 22, and brace 21 is placed against lower member 23 with its end portion projecting within the stirrup 30. Thus these members are nector 16 together with the side rails 19, so that a compact bundle is thereby provided.

Thus, there are but three. independent parts of the bed embodying my invention,

namely, the bed head and, bed foot, which are held together by the flexible support 16,

Thereupon these I andzthe two 'brace's20 and 21. This is a positive requisiteof a bed for camping purposes.

'- .The' parts must be fastened together to as great'an extent as possible;

Instead of the stirrup connection between the upper member22 and'the lower member '23 ofthebrace 20, a simple sleeve 36 riveted to member 23 with a socket 37 cast on one sidethereofmay be provided, but obviously, this does not provide for as ready assembling as the preferred-form, nor does it serve to'hold the said 'members together in dismounted position; neither does the sleeve 36 provide for holding the'brace-21'as respects its end portion when in position for packing.

Also'this modified form is objectionable in that the sleeve 36 operates to make member 23:lon,g

er than the preferred form. In the above it has-been made-clear how important it is to keep the parts of the side rail of a length-not to exceed the length of the bed head or the bed foot. vThe preferred length of these parts is. to make them about the samelength, i. e., brace 21 should be equal in length ito members 22 and 23, and thus-I provide for the maximum leverage and for the length of parts not toexceed thelength of the bed head or the bed foot. i

Obviously, changes may be made in the forms, dimensions, and arrangement of the parts of my invention, without departing from vthe principle thereof, the above setting J forth only preferred forms of embodiment.

Manifestly, my invention is equally applicable to tables, chairs and stools. f

- I claim: V i 1. A device of the character described embodying a bed head; a bed foot; a flexible support extending between said bed head and. bed foot; a side rail embodying a two piece brace extending from the top portion of the. bed head tothe foot, of the bed foot;

astirrup joining means for said two piece brace pivotally mounted upon one of said pieces; said stirrupclosely embraclng the sides of the parts of the two-piece brace;

v and a brace extending from the top portion of the bed foot to an engaging position with said stirrup, whereby said two piece brace is held in alignment laterally rigid on all sides.

2. A device of the character described embodying a vertically disposed bed-head; a rigid and vertically disposed bed-foot supported on the floor; a flexible support exsaid-first brace maybe used as a level-Ito place said flexible support under tension, said stirrup receiving the downward thrust ofsaidbrace. V V i a .i 3. A device of the character described, embodying: a bed head and a bed foot, each having transversely collapsible'legs mounted thereon; a flexible support extendingbe' tween said bed head and said bed footie, side rail embodying a brace consisting of two members having means for joining the same in line, and stirrupmeans, pivotally mounted on one of said members, whereby said brace extends fromthe top portion of the bed head to which it is releasably rse cured, to the foot of the bed foot, saidstirrup" means also forming a socket on one side of said brace; and a brace releasably secured to the top' portion of the bed foot from which it extends to said socket and rests upon said first named brace, whereby'is formed a siderail in spacedrel'ationtothe lateral edges of the flexible support which is put under tension by said rail, r

- 4. A device of the character described,

embodying: a bed head and a bed foot, each having collapsible legs mounted thereon, the

legs'of said bed foot also havingop'en stir rups disposed thereon a flexible support ex: tending between sai'd bed head and bed foot and secured thereto by a series of helical,

springs; aside rail embodying a brace'consisting of an upper and lower member, the] upper member being releasably secured to said bed head and the opposite end of said upper member having'a tapering endpo'r-I tion with a pin disposed near the end of the,

same, the lower member having ataperi'ng end portion with a stirrup pivotallym'ounft ed intermediate said tapering portion, "the stirrup having a'slot 'in which. the pin of said upper member is operatively disposed; said stirrup forming a socket on one side of said lower member, said lower member having a socket near its end, into which the end portion of said upper member may ex tend; and 'a brace releasably secured to the top portion of the bed foot, from which it i i i extends to said socket, whereby said flexible support may-be put under tension when said stirrup of said bed foot.

5. In combination with a device of the character described, a side rail embodying a brace consisting of an upper and lower member, the upper member having a tapering end portion; a pin disposed in said end portion; said lower member having a tapering end portion disposed to register with the tapering end portion of said upper member; a 'stirrup being pivotallymounted in- '115 lower member is caused to rest in said open-1 termediate said tapering portion, the 'stirrup having a slot in which said pin is operatively disposed, said stirrup forming a socket on one sideof said lower member,

saidlower member having a socket near its end into which the end portion of said upper member'may extend; and a brace disposed to seat in said stirrup socket. a

6. In combination with a device of the character described, "a :side rail embodying two braces, one of said braces being formed of an upper and lower member, a stirrup joining means for said -members, which means is mounted upon one of said members, said means together with; one of said members forming a seat for the other of said mediate its length upon said upper end por braces.

x 7. In -combination with adevice of the character described, a side rail embodying two braces, one of said braces being formed of an upper and lower member, a socket forming ferrule being mounted on the upper end portion of said lower member; a stirrup joining: means for said upper and lower members said means being mounted intertion and forming together with said upper end portion a seat for the second brace, whereby said second brace holds the .lower end portion ofthe upper member securely seated in said ferrule, thereby effecting an other and resting as respects one of its end portionsin said stirrup, said brace havingv a socket means located onsaid brace substantially in the middle thereof and the othervbrace having one end freely resting in said socket and the other end connected to the top of one of the supporting memhers. V V v 9. A device of the character described embodying a supporting member at each end-thereof; astirrup mounted on one of said supporting. members a flexible support? connectingsaid supporting members; aside rail consisting of two. braces, one of said braces being releasably connected .at one end to the top of one of said supporting-members andbeing of a length such that it extendsto the bottom of the other supporting 7 member whereby i-timay restin said stirrup, said brace having, a seat intermediate its length, and a brace releasably secured, as respects'one end portion, to the top of one'ot said supporting members, and the other end disposed to rest on said first brace and being 7 received by said seat whereby said first brace operates as a lever with said second brace as a fulcrumto I push apart the supporting members and thereby to put said flexible support under tension, which tension'oper-r ates-to hold said second brace inoperative engagement with said first brace. V

10.vIn combination with a device of the character described; aside rail consisting of two braees,one of which is formed of two members, each of which members having tapering, registering end members, said membersbeing of the same length, one of said members having a socket means, disposed on its tapering end portion, and a seat disposed on itsupper side; and a second brace of substantially the samelength as said-members, adapted to have one of its end portions rest on said first brace and be received in said seat.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 1stday of March, A. D. 1923.

, LA FQRREST'EFAW. 

